Safety closure device



July 29, 1969 A. s. ERWIN, 1R 3,458,083

SAFETY CLOSURE DEVICE Filed July 12, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 29, 1969 A. s. ERWIN, JR 3,458,083 l SAFETY CLOSURE DEVI CE Filed July 12, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,458,083 SAFETY CLOSURE DEVICE Alfred S. Erwin, Jr., Buna, Tex., assignor to Shaffer Tool Works, Beaumont, Tex., a corporation of California Filed .luly 12, 1968, Ser. No. 744,498 Int. Cl. B65d 45/00 U.S. Cl. 220-55.3 9 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DSCLOSURE A quick-opening closure device having an annular body adaptable for connection to a process vessel, a pipeline and the like, such body member having a circular cover and both members having lugs projecting radially therefrom and being in substantially adjacent relation when the cover sealingly engages with the body member. A bolt connects the two lugs to maintain the cover engaged with the body and an elongate strap is pivotally secured to the lug of the body to engage about the lug of the cover upon closure of the cover and a screw type valve member releasably secures the strap to the lug of the cover member, such valve member at the same time sealing a port within the cover member when the cover firmly engages the body and unseals the port when the cover is not so engaged with the body member.

Background of the invention The quick-opening closure device of the present invention generally constitutes an important improvement over conventional devices such as shown in the U.S. patent to Zumwalt, No. 3,349,947 of Oct. 31, 1967. These types of closure devices include an annular body member having a circular cover sealably engagable therewith. Various means for maintaining the cover in engagement with the body have been used, such means also including some form of vent to relieve pressure within the body prior to removing the cover from lthe body to prevent dangerous explosive opening of the cover. The patent to Zumwalt is directed to such features.

However, it would be highly advantageous to provide (in addition to vent relief means for relieving pressure from within the body prior to opening the cover) means for maintaining venting from within the closure device to prevent build up of pressure therein until the cover is once again securely and sealably engaged with the body member. For instance, a drawback of most conventional quickopening closure devices is that once the cover is removed from the body and is then re-engaged therewith, it may be possible for pressure to build up within the closure even though the cover is not firmly and securely engaged with the body. Thus the possibility of leakage exists which can be harmful to nearby personnel as well as the danger of blow-off of the cover with consequent inherent peril. The device of the present invention overcomes these serious problems as will be explained hereafter.

Summary of the invention The present invention is directed to a quick-opening closure device having body and cover members for sealable engagement with one another through the provision of lugs projecting from each member and in adjacent relation when the members are engaged. A bolt secures the lugs together. An elongate strap is pivotally secured to one of the lugs and is provided with a lip to engage about the other of the lugs such that the lip does not so engage its lug until the body and cover members are firmly and securely engaged together. Then a screw type of valve secures the strap to its lug and at the same time prevents access to the bolt securing the lugs together. A port is provided for fluid communication from the interior to the exterior f'the closure and the screw type of valve coacts with such port to seal the port upon firm engagement of the lip of the strap about its lug and unseals the port when the lip of the strap is not engaged about its lug.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide unique safety means whereby the closure device is sealed only when the cover securely and sealably engages the body thereof to prevent leakage and possible blow-off of the cover.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a closure device safety sealing means such that pressure within the closure is relieved before the cover may be removed and, when the cover is replaced, pressure cannot build up until the cover is sealably and securely engaged with the body.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of valve means coacting with a port communicating with the interior of the closure to relieve pressure within the closure when the cover is not sealably and securely engaged with the body, the valve means also preventing access to bolt fastener means that secure the cover to the body.

Yet a further object of the present invention is the provision of jackscrew means for coaction with a bolt securing the cover to the body member to facilitate removal of the cover from the body, such jackscrew means being independent of any of the safety relief features of the device of the present invention thereby reducing the likelihood of damage to such safety features.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a quick-opening closure device including a body member and a cover member adapted to sealingly engage with the body member, both members having lugs projecting radially therefrom, the lugs being in substantially adjacent relation when the cover and body members are engaged together, bolt fastener means for threadably and releasably securing one lug to the other, a rigid, elongate strap member pivotally secured at one end to one of the lugs and having a lip engaging about the other of the lugs, a screw type of valve member releasably securing the lip of the strap to its engaged lug, a port to provide relief of fluid from within the closure, and means secured to the valve member for coaction with the port to permit venting of pressurized fiuid from within the closure when the cover is not sealably and securely engaged with the body yet sealing the port when the cover is securely and sealably engaged with the body.

Other and further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention, given for the purpose of disclosure, and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Description of the drawings In the drawings forming a part of the disclosure herein, like character references designate like parts throughout the several views, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the device of the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the device of the present invention,

FIGURE 3 is a partial elevational view of the lugs, strap, and screw type valve of the present invention,

FIGURE 4 is a partial, cross-sectional view similar to FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a partial, cross-sectional plan view of the port and screw type valve taken along the line 5 5 of FIGURE 4, and

FIGURE 6 is a partial, cross-sectional elevational view of the bolt fastener means securing the cover and body member lugs of the present invention.

Description of the preferred embodiment With reference now to the drawings and generally to FIGURES 1 and 2, a body member 10 of a generally annular configuration is adapted to be connected to a process vessel, pipeline or any other system requiring the use of a quick-opening closure device. A cover 12 is pivotally secured to the body member such as by means of conventional hinge ears 14 secured to both members and held in engagement by means of a pivot pin 16. Thus the cover member 12 may swing upward as viewed in FIGURE 2 when the closure is to be opened, handle 18 facilitating such movement. Suitable seating surfaces 17 and 19 as shown in FIGURE 5 are provided on and between the body and cover members respectively together with, for example, an O-ring 21 which may be disposed between such seating surfaces in an annular groove within the body to seal the closure when the cover 12 is securely engaged with the body 10.

With reference now generally to FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 6, lugs and 22 are integrally secured to the cover and body members respectively and project radially from the periphery of such members such that they are in substantially adjacent relation when the cover 12 sealingly and securably engages the body member 10. When the closure is to be sealed shut, a bolt 24 (as best shown in FIGURES 4 and 6) draws the lugs 20 and 22 together, such bolt having threads to engage a threaded bore 26 within the lug 22. The bolt 24 also engages through the lug 20 of the cover member 12 by means of a bore 28 and a counter-bore 30 such that the head 27 of the bolt seats against the shoulder 32 formed within the counterbore 30. Of course, the bore 26 and the bore 28 and counter-bore 30 are each in generally tangential relation to the periphery of the cover 12 and body 10 to permit alignment of the bolt 24 therein when drawing the cover 12 up tight into sealing and secure engagement with the body `10.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 and as best shown in FIGURE 4, a rigid, elongate strap member 34 is pivotally secured at one end to the lug 22 of the body by means of, for example, a suitable hinge 36 and is provided at the other end with a lip 38 that engages about the lug 20 of the cover member when the cover is securely and sealably engaged with the body. Tolerance between the inside surface 39 of the lip 38 and the edge of the lug 20 should be such that the lip 38 will not move into the position as shown in FIGURE 4 until the cover member 12 is firmly and securely engaged with the body 10, thus providing visual means for determining secure closure of the cover.

As best shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, the lip 38 of the strap 34 is held in engagement about the lug 20 by means of a screw-threaded type of bolt 40 having threads 42 engaging similar threads within the lug 20 of the cover 12. The bolt 40 is located at generally right angles to the bolt 24 so that when tightening of the bolt 40 fully engages the lip 38 about the lug 20, access to the head 27 of the bolt 24 is prevented as will be explained in more detail hereafter. Since the strap 34 is pivotally secured at one end to the lug 22, the bolt 4l) cannot threadably engage the lug 20 until the cover 12 firmly and securely engages the body 10. The strap 34 thereby provides elective means for sealingly aligning the cover and the body members.

The threaded bolt 40 also acts as a valve member in that it is provided at its threaded end with a needle portion 44 the point of which is engageable with and is seatable against the end seat portion 46 of a port 48 that permits liuid communication from within the closure to the needle portion 44 of the valve member or bolt 40. The port 48 as shown in the drawings extends from the interior of the cover member 12 to a point contiguous with the needle portion 44 in one segment and then from a point adjacent the needle point `44 to the exterior of the cover member 12 via port segment 48a. Thus when the needle point 44 of the valve member or bolt 40 firmly seats against the seat 46, the port 48 is sealed and no fluid passes therethrough. However, when the needle point 44 is unseated from the seat 46, liuid may pass through the port 48 and is relieved from within the closure by passage through the outer segment 48a of the port.

In operation, the ybody member 10 as shown in FIG- URE 1 is, of course, secured to the vessel or pipeline to which access is desired by means of the device of the present invention. Then, with reference to FIGURE 2, during closing of the device of the present invention to seal off any such vessel or pipeline, the cover member 12 is swung down into lirm engagement with the body member 10. The cover is sealed with the body Iby engaging the bolt 24 with the threaded bore 26 of the lug 22 by tightening such bolt as with a key wrench 50 that is inserted through the counter-bore 30 of the lug 20 and into a keyhole in the head of the bolt 27 so that the bolt draws up tightly against the shoulder 32 of the counterbore, the final position being as shown in FIGURE 4. Then the key wrench 50 is removed and the strap member 34 is swung up such that the lip 38 thereof engages about the lug 20. Since the clearance between the inside of the lip 38 and the lug 20 is of very close tolerance, placement of the strap 34 into the position as shown in FIGURE 4 will indicate that the cover 12 is securely engaged with the body member 10. However, to insure that such secure engagement also results in sealable engagement, the bolt 40 is engaged with the threaded portion 42 of the lug 20 and tightened securely such as by means of a key wrench 52 as shown in FIGURE 3. Then, as shown in FIGURE 4, the needle portion 44 of the bolt or valve member 40 seats against the seat 46 and closes the port 48. It is only upon closure of the port that the nteror of the closure member of the present invention is completely sealed against leakage.

When it is desired to open the closure device of the present invention, the steps previously mentioned are carried out in reverse so that the bolt or valve member 40 is first threadably disengaged from the lug 20 which permits communication of the port 48 with the outer port segment 48a thereby venting or relieving fluid pressure from within the closure. Such venting is, of course, in small and controlled volumes thereby assuring safe exhaustion of the closure prior to the full opening thereof. When such venting is completed, the bolt 40 is removed completely and the strap 34 is pulled away from the lug 20 as shown in FIGURE 2. It will now become apparent that it is only at this time that access to the fastener bolt 24 becomes available since the valve member 40 prevents insertion of the key wrench S0 as long as it is in place thereby assuring that the fastener bolt 24 will not be withdrawn negligently prior to release of pressure from within the closure device.

As thus shown in FIGURE 2, the key Wrench 50 engages the head 27 of the bolt 24 to remove the bolt. As shown in more detail in FIGURE 6, a sleeve member 54 is secured within the counter-bore 30 between the head 27 of the bolt 24 and the outer end of the counter-bore. The sleeve is held securely in position such as by means, for example, of retainer pins 56 that engage both the sleeve 54 and the lug 20 to prevent axial movement of the sleeve 54. Thus as the bolt 24 is being threadably disengaged from the lug 22, the pushing action of the head 27 against the sleeve 54 in turn forces the lug of the cover 20 away from the lug of the body member 22 in a jackscrew action to facilitate removal of the cover 12 from engagement with the body 10. The sleeve 54 advantageously provides a jackscrewing base completely independent of the valve bolt 40 or any other member thereby avoiding damage to or misalignment of any of the safety features of the device.

It will now be recognized that the device of the present invention serves to prevent removal of the cover 12 from the body prior to release of pressure lfrom within the closure thereby obviating the danger of blow-off of the cover and possible consequent injury to personnel. Moreover, when closing the closure device of the present invention, a pressure build-up within the closure is pre vented until a secure seal exists between the two members as indicated by engagement of the strap member 3S about the lug 20 as well as seating of the needle point 44 of the bolt or valve member 40 against the port 48. Still a further advantage is that the 'bolt or threaded valve member 40, when maintaining the closure device sealed in closed relation, also prevents access to the bolt fastener 24 to prevent opening of the device while under pressure. Again, danger and possible injury to personnel is prevented.

It will also be recognized that the lug 20` and aperture 48 and port associated therewith may be interchanged with the lug 22 and its associated parts. Thus the elements of the present invention may be relocated so long as their functional relation is not altered.

The present invention, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as Well as those inherent therein. While presently preferred embodiments of the invention are given for the purpose of disclosure, numerous changes in the detail of construction and arrangement of parts can be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A quick-opening closure device, including:

a body member having an annular configuration,

a generally circular cover member adapted to sealingly engage with the body member,

a first lug integral of and projecting radially from the body member and a second lug integral of and projecting radially from the cover mem-ber, both said lugs being in substantially adjacent relation when the cover member sealingly engages the body member,

bolt fastener means for threadably, releasably securing one lug to the other,

a rigid, elongate strap member pivotally secured at one end to one of the first and second lugs,

a screw-threaded valve member transversely engaging the other end of the strap and releasably securing the strap to the other of the lugs, said valve member being positioned relative to the bolt fastener means such that access to said means is prevented when the valve member effects firm engagement of the strap with the latter said lug,

a port in either of the body and cover menbers providing fluid communication between the interior and the exterior of such member, and

means secured to the valve member for coaction with the port such that the port is sealed only when the cover securely engages the body upon firm engagement of the strap with both lugs, yet unseals the port when the valve member is initially actuated to release the strap from its valve-engaged lug.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the bolt fastener means for threadably, releasably securing one lug to the other includes:

a threaded bore through the lug of the body generally tangential to the periphery of the body,

a bore through the lug of the cover member generally tangential to the periphery of the cover and coaxial with the bore of the body lug when both said lugs are in adjacent relation and a counter-bore coaxial and contiguous with the cover lug bore at the end opposite the lug of the body, and

a threaded bolt the head of which seats against the inner shoulder of the counter-bore and the threads of which engage the threads of the body lug bore.

3. The invention of claim 2 including:

a jackscrew sleeve secured within the cover lug counter-bore between the head of the bolt and the outer end of the counter-bore.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the strap member is provided with a lip at the end opposite the pivotallysecured end, said lip being engageable about the valveengaged lug.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the strap member is pivotally secured at one end to the body lug and the lip at the other end is engageable about the cover lug.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the means secured to the valve member for coaction with the port includes a needle secured to the inner end of the valve member, the point of which is engagable with the exterior end of the port.

7. A quick-opening closure device including:

a body member having an annular configuration,

a generally circular cover member adapted to sealingly engage with the body member,

a rst lug projecting radially from the body member and a second lug projecting radially from the cover member, both said lugs being in substantially adjacent relation when the cover member sealingly engages the body member,

bolt fastener means for threadably, releasably securing one lug to the other, which said means comprises:

a threaded bore through the lug of the body member generally tangential to the periphery of the body,

a bore through the lug of the cover member generally tangential to the periphery of the cover member and coaxial with the bore of the body lug when both said lugs are in adjacent relation and a counter-bore coaxial and contiguous with the cover lug bore at the end opposite the lug of the body, and

a threaded bolt the head of which seats against the shoulder of the counter-bore and the threads of which engage the threads of the cover lug bore,

a rigid, elongate strap member pivotally secured at one end to the lug of the body member and having a lip that extends about the lug of the cover member upon secure enga-gement of the cover member with the body member,

a screw-threaded valve member releasably securing the strap to the lug of the cover member, said valve member being positioned relative to the bolt of the bolt fastener means such that access to said bolt is prevented when the valve member effects firm engagement of the lip of the strap about the lug of the cover member,

a port in the cover member providing fluid communication between the interior of such member and the screw-threaded valve member and from the screwthreaded valve member to the exterior of the cover member, and

means secured to the valve member for coaction with the port such that the port is sealed only when the cover securely engages the body upon rm engagement of the lip of the strap about the lug of the cover member yet unseals the port when the valve member is initially actuated to release the lip of the strap from the lug of the cover member.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein the means secured to the valve member for coaction with the port includes a needle secured to the end of the valve member adjacent the port, the point of such needle engageable with the port.

9. The invention of claim 7 including:

a jackscrew sleeve secured within the cover lug counterbore between the head of the bolt and the outer end of the counter-bore.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,349,947 10/ 1967 Zumwalt 220-55 3,124,158 3/1964 Penfold 220-55.3 XR

GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 220-33 

